The Boston Radio Blog

.....blogging the Boston Radio scene!

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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Black formatted WILD is now...Chinese!

WILD has been on the Boston radio scene and has been serving the black community of Boston for a long time. WILD gave us music, news and public affairs and personalities over the years. WILD overcame it's daytime only signal with focused programming.

In recent years, it's current owner, RadioOne, has not devoted much time, energy or capital into the station...they have bigger problems to deal with. Mostly WILD has been on automated pilot, with a mix of syndicated and (non-human) jukebox programming.

What was once a source of information for Boston's black community, is now broadcasting news, music, language lessons, and other stories from Beijing China. The programming in the past had been airing on a limited basis on WBIX, WROL and WUNR.

WBUR's Delores Handy recently had this story:

WILD-AM Now Serves A Very Different Audience1090 WILD-AM was the scrappy little engine that could. A small-budget radio station with big ideas with over 40 years on air, it earned a trusted place in the heart and soul of Boston’s inner city community. But now that’s all gone. The station serves a very different audience.

And Bostons' African-American serving newspaper, the Bay State Banner, had this story:

Playing the China cardWILD-AM abruptly changes programming from African American news and culture to improving relations with China